A study published by Scotiabank finds that Canadian parents are paying less for their kids to play hockey than they did four years ago. This year hockey is costing parents an average of $849 per child per season, down from $1026 in 2010, according to those who participated in the study.

Ahmad Dajani, Scotiabank’s VP of invesments and sales tools, says this year’s survey of 1,000 hockey parents reveals they are getting creative to control costs.

“Parents have looked for alternatives, including sourcing equipment that may be second-hand,” he says. “We see parents carpooling and looking for ways to share the cost.”

According to the survey, 34 per cent of parents planned to spend more than $1,000 on hockey in 2014, and 40 per cent of respondents said the cost of hockey prompted them to cut spending elsewhere in their household budget.

Respondents reported that out-of-town tournaments presented the steepest hockey-related expense, costing the average hockey family $486 this season.

The study also found the cost of hockey varied by age and by region. While parents in western Canada paid an average of $918 a year, parents in central Canada, which includes Ontario, spent $795.

And while hockey cost an average of $696 per season for players younger than eight, that number jumps to $933 for kids between 13 and 17.

Dajani points out that every Scotiabank branch has a $1,000 allotment to devote to sponsoring a minor hockey team and the bank’s website includes a hockey budget calculator. And, even though it’s still winter, he urges parents to plan now for next year’s hockey season.

“Now is an excellent time to sit with an adviser and look at (a) budget,” he says. “Planning doesn’t have to be overly complicated. It really is just about writing down a budget, and often the best way to save is to make it automatic.”

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